We cover the TV News biz of Little Rock and the Ark-La-Tex(Shreveport,LA) AND Northwest Arkansas TOO!

Saturday, August 26, 2006

What's Happening at 11?

The Arkansas Times blog says KTHV will hold a news conference Monday, Aug 28 at 11am to make a 'big announcement'. Rumor is the announcement will be that former KTHV anchor Dawn Scott is headed back to 11 anchor chair. I will be out of town Monday, so someone please post the news here in the comments section.

Nobody really knows who is going where. I can't imagine Liz and Dawn doing the news together. That would be awful chemistry. If Anne is retiring, and Dawn is taking her place, then Liz may not go to weekends, but what a weird mix that would be. Andy, Dawn, and Liz?

Any body think it may be that THV has been SOLD???? Why all the Dawn Scott buzz...

Hey there are not many who can return to the roots twice!

Worked at another station when she was in town but she always seemed solid- in Little Rock- saw some of her stuff from the northwest - she had some trouble with the big dogs though- welcome Dawn if the rumors are true!

And how does one handle a streaker gracefully anyway??? I;ve always wondered what I'd do if it were my live shot- and all of you so critial i bet you'd crumble faster than an overbaked cookie!

"I feel for Liz. It's not fair to her if she's shuffled back to weekends to make room for Dawn. I hope she's give's THV the salute and goes somewhere where she's appreciated."

Where else can she go? She's lucky she got a year in the main anchor chair. She can't relate, all she does is giggle and fish. She humps over in her chair. She's a weekend anchor in market 181 at best. Everyone knew it wasn't going to work when Raines and Audus put her in there.

So is there a confirmed answer to what the press was about? If Dawn is coming back, I will be in trouble. Dawn was my favorite anchor and babe, but now I am firmly in Jancey Sheat's corner. If Dawn returns, it will take a lot to draw me away from KARK

No contest, Jancey wins hands down. Though I am curious why Dawn is returning November 1, when she will have to take time off in December to have her baby. I also wonder what Liz's reaction is to this. I am sure the desk will be Andy and Dawn

May be uppity and all...but that would make her the anti-Win, and that's not at all bad.

At least Dawn is a product of the atrocious LR public school system, went to a respected university and moved onto great things in the business.

Although...I'm a bit taken back by her as a new mommy. I've worked at plenty of stations where the New Mommy (especially if her husband has a good job, which is the case here) suddenly loses professional ambition once the baby is born.

Don't count Liz out just yet. I'd be surprised if Dawn is doing two newscasts a night once she becomes a parent. My guess: She'll want to do just the 6 (and, therefore, take less money).

If her husband has regular hours, though, as a new doc, I'd bet that maybe she just does the 10.

As a KATV fan, but not an employee, I can tell you without a doubt that it's great to have Dawn back and she will once again do a great job! That winning smile goes a long way with me and so many others.

People say we never have anything good to say about THV. Today was a good day for them. I like Christina Munoz...particularly as a person. She is an absolute sweetheart, but she doesn't have the on-camera presence, personality, and charm that Dawn has. Dawn was always so comfortable and relaxed on the air, and allowed her real personality to come through.

I'm glad she's back. I'm VERY happy that things are going well with her husband, and that she will soon experience the thrill of a new baby....although I agree it's pretty awkward for her to work a month and then take maternity leave!! What if the baby's a preemie??:)

We don't have to like them, but there are some good reasons to respect them. Up until about 10 years ago, KTHV was going nowhere with it's news department. They had well-known anchors, but their ratings were a consistent disappointment. 11 Action News wasn't really even a factor in the ratings war.

Look where they are now! Their resurgance was keyed by a management team that almost a decade ago saw an opportunity and took advantage. KATV and KARK had both lost popular anchors, and just weren't as appealing as they had been. KTHV made some hard choices by letting go and reassigning station icons, and opened their wallet to bring in Andy Pearson. They changed their overall look and feel, and really set out to attract viewers.

Now they are getting a real break by having Dawn Scott back. She and Andy Pearson together were very successful. They are respected and professional anchors who are deeply loved by so many.

There! Now everyone can't say all we do here is mudslinging! Having said all that, it's up to our management to keep our station fresh and on the rise so that people won't be bored with us and looking for something new.....like Dawn Scott.

Best of luck Dawn. You looked terrific! We are happy for you both professionally and personally.

They are paying Dawn a TON of money, so I doubt she will be doing one newscast. If they are paying her that much to do one newscast, then you can expect some hard working, upset people to leave as soon as their contracts run out if they don't get the same respect when it comes to $$$$$$.

I watch KATV now but i used to watch Dawn when she was here. I'll probably still watch KATV when Dawn returns because I disagree with the post above. I think Christina Munoz has a lot of personality and charm on air and I think she is the best in the market right now.

Dawn is only going to back for a little while and then take maternity leave? Sounds like a stunt to me to get viewers and I for one don't appreciate being tricked into watching a station.

Just because Dawn is pregnant does not mean she is disabled and can't work. Pregnant women work all the time. I worked the day before I had a baby. Yes, she will take a few weeks off after the baby, but then she will be back, so there are no tricks here. Just the natural process of what happens to a working woman who has a baby.

Good point about the big ratings equalling big salaries. I hope THV is smart enough to know that if others that have done well don't get big money too, they will lose them. It would be bad PR for the station to start losing well liked people. After the Win Noble incident, and the "we don't know what we're doing with Liz Massey Yet" bs (obviously some shuffling is about to take place), they need some stability over there. I am an outsider with a friend who works there, and the morale is quit low right now in the news room.

If you think you're worth more than you are being paid.....PROVE IT BY GETTING A RAISE OR FINDING A JOB WHERE THEY WILL PAY YOU WHAT YOU THINK YOU'RE WORTH. Otherwise, get over yourself and realize that, if you can't accomplish either of the above.....you must accept that you ARE being paid what you're worth!

Hey, did anyone notice the class that 7 employee showed yesterday on this blog?? (3:58 PM, August 28, 2006) I passed that along to Dawn and she was really touched. We speculated on who you might be!:)

I agree with you completely. We have come a long way, and there's been some bumps and painful decisions that have been made. We're about to have to make some more. But, sometimes we all have to take a step back before we take 2 or 3 steps forward. I'll say this about KATV, they'll never find themselves where we were before the late 90s and where KARK was until recently. KATV will never settle for being less than the best. They won't always be the best, but they'll never stop trying. KATV is a fierce competitor, with a storied history that we wish we had. We may talk bad about you, but...particularly those of us who have been in this market for a long time...we have a deep respect and appreciation of your past greatness and continued drive to get back to where you were.

We don't have to like them, but there are some good reasons to respect them. Up until about 10 years ago, KTHV was going nowhere with it's news department. They had well-known anchors, but their ratings were a consistent disappointment. 11 Action News wasn't really even a factor in the ratings war.

Look where they are now! Their resurgance was keyed by a management team that almost a decade ago saw an opportunity and took advantage. KATV and KARK had both lost popular anchors, and just weren't as appealing as they had been. KTHV made some hard choices by letting go and reassigning station icons, and opened their wallet to bring in Andy Pearson. They changed their overall look and feel, and really set out to attract viewers.

Now they are getting a real break by having Dawn Scott back. She and Andy Pearson together were very successful. They are respected and professional anchors who are deeply loved by so many.

There! Now everyone can't say all we do here is mudslinging! Having said all that, it's up to our management to keep our station fresh and on the rise so that people won't be bored with us and looking for something new.....like Dawn Scott.

Best of luck Dawn. You looked terrific! We are happy for you both professionally and personally.

Signed,

Your friends down the street.:)

3:58 PM, August 28, 2006"

There is no way in hell an employee from KATV would write this. This sounds like crap flowing from a KTHV Sales Managers mouth.

No, the problem is when you lack respect from management from your own station. The Dawn comeback was bad for morale when they found out how much THV is paying her. "Sorry, we gave all the money we had for raises to Dawn, and there is none left for you. We appreciate your blood, sweat, and tears, but a pat on the back is all we can afford when it comes to you."

You're obviously in the business--if you're in Little Rock, there's no one in the market right now who couldn't benefit from working with Al Tompkins. Seems to me the market needs more people who have been influenced by the guy.

I'm the "KATVer" that wrote in yesterday with comments about THV and Dawn Scott.

I would like to share with all of you, and especially those who are critical of my comments, that it's good from time to time for all of us to step back and put things in perspective. We're TV people....all of us! I'm referring to everyone who works in Little Rock television. We're in this business because we love it, or did love it at one time. We have more in common with each other than we do with anyone else. As such, we each know how hard our jobs are and how hard we have to work to keep them. For those reasons, I don't think it's unreasonable for us to respect each other professionally and express that from time to time.

I appreciate the Paul Eells reference a friend made yesterday concerning my post, but I can tell you I'm not a fourth of the man he was. Having said that...how many of you can say you were treated with anything less than respect from Paul when you encountered him? He taught us a lesson in how to treat competitors. If I may quote something he said years ago when I light-heartedly confronted him for sharing a tape with Steve Sullivan when he was at 4, "We're all in the same boat. Steve and Ray (Tucker)are great guys."

So, on the occasion of Dawn Scott's return to Little Rock, I chose to take a few moments and show respect to her and some of the fine professionals that work at KTHV. That's what Paul did when he was with us.....and wouldn't you all say that respect came back to him??

Well said 3:29! Man, you don't get that tone very much on this blog. It is possible to fiercly compete while still respecting each other!! I remember when I was working at a NWA station years ago as a young college guy trying to make it in TV. I was working my tail end off 6-7 days a week!! Yes, I got a few pats on the back from my own station. But, probably the most meaningful compliment I received was from a top executive of a competitor.

Of course it means a ton to get respect from your own boss, but it's really special when you are complimented by the boss of your competitor.

I'm not suggesting we turn this blog into a lovefest. But, when the occasion presents itself, it's okay to give credit where credit is due. That's even if the person getting the credit doesn't work under the same roof.-)

You're obviously in the business--if you're in Little Rock, there's no one in the market right now who couldn't benefit from working with Al Tompkins. Seems to me the market needs more people who have been influenced by the guy."

Thanks Andy. I see you cleaned the cream filling from your fingers long enough to type a response. Now go get another twinkie and stop looking down on people. That's what you did to Dawn and that's why you two couldn't get along.

It's sad to think that certain folks at KTHV who really need the money didn't get a C.O.L. for their efforts. (for those of you that make 25k or less a year, that's barely enough to pay for the cost of health insurance that will go up next year) But it makes perfect sense - cut back where you can (the little guy that actually works) so that you can spend a ton on an anchor who may or may not right the 5 & 6 pm ship. I hope she's worth the large 6-figure salary that you guys have been talking about, otherwise she may as well direct, run audio, run camera, produce, run her own prompter, shoot, write and edit her own stories.

I'm not suggesting we turn this blog into a lovefest. But, when the occasion presents itself, it's okay to give credit where credit is due. That's even if the person getting the credit doesn't work under the same roof.-)

3:46 PM, August 29if we;re handing out love then hand it to the people who are behind the scenes who rarly get love but really deserve it.i'll start.don't know their name but thaudio person on the thv morning show is always on the ball and i thnk they deserve some credit.now pass the love people,

You know, to THV's credit...they are actually breaking the mold lately by going out and hiring an established anchor. I'm getting tired of these in-house promotions of reporters with little or no anchor experience in med to large markets like Little Rock. Yes Scott and Christina, I am talking about you. THV did that by promoting Liz Massey, and you see where it got them...they're having to shell it out big time to bring Dawn back.

When you have a spot available for an evening anchor.....go out and hire an established evening anchor. Stop trying to go the cheap route and promote reporters.

Yeah, she has some more experience now, but you can't have it both ways. Dawn WAS a reporter when they made her an anchor the first time. You can't diss Scott, Christina, and Liz without dissing her, too. It's not like Dawn has been in the biz 20 years longer than all the others you named. Her Seattle stint couldn't have made her that much better than when she left.

People with experience don't come to Little Rock, People come to LIttle Rock to get experience. Dawn was the same as everybody else, startesd as a reporter and moved up. It's how it's always been done in a market this size and always will.

"People with experience don't come to Little Rock, People come to LIttle Rock to get experience. Dawn was the same as everybody else, startesd as a reporter and moved up. It's how it's always been done in a market this size and always will."

That may be, but it still doesn't mean that she is that much better than Scott Inman.

Unbelievable! I just happened across this site tonight accidentally and am taken aback. With the exception of a few comments this is childish and ridiculous. Reality check: Simple minds talk about people. Average minds talk about events. Brillant mind speak of ideas. Enough already with being so simple minded! Get a life!

Yeah. When people were talking about the possibility of Chris May returning to Arkansas, many were saying it was because he couldn't cut it elsewhere. Why aren't we hearing that about her? I personally never thought she was that good.

I agree 9:56. Does anyone else not find it odd she's always referred to as "the reporter who a streaker ran behind?" That seemed to give her not only her internet 15 minutes of fame but credibility to be a desired and greatly needed anchor?? She's alright but this has been taken overboard. Did noone, including her, not think about the family values and raising of her child she speaks of? She's not in a 9-5 job. I pity her child who will want mommy there at night to read a bedtime story and tuck him in. Seems she's forgotten a bit of the "family life" she speaks of. Sad.

Unbelievable! I just happened across this site tonight accidentally and am taken aback. With the exception of a few comments this is childish and ridiculous. Reality check: Simple minds talk about people. Average minds talk about events. Brillant mind speak of ideas. Enough already with being so simple minded! Get a life!

Unbelievable! I just happened across this site tonight accidentally and am taken aback. With the exception of a few comments this is childish and ridiculous. Reality check: Simple minds talk about people. Average minds talk about events. Brillant mind speak of ideas. Enough already with being so simple minded! Get a life!

Well thank you Coretta Scott King. Why don't you get off your high horse, and just get high!

How do any of you know how much Dawn is making? That's between her and the station. It's not all that much. I know for a fact she never made much while she was there in the late 90s. She's going home so she can be with her family while she has her baby. The fact she got a job offer from KTHV is gravy. All she cares about right now is having a healthy baby and her family (her grandfather is not in great health). She couldn't care less about any of this crap. I know her, and I know her husband, and I would bet that in a couple of years, they (who BOTH have mobile careers) will leave again anyway. It's a waste of time to keep writing about her.

I respect the FACT that Dawn had given up her loved career at KHTV to help her husband pursue his residency in Seattle and now totally RESPECT that her supporting husband is now allowing both their careers to take off in what is their home and roots. They can now can raise their family where they know their home is. I know that Dawn and her husband consider Little Rock itself to be their extended family. They are truly genuine and down to earth people. They both have class and hats off to KHTV for proving that they too are part of that family. They not only prove it to Dawn, but to the rest of their employees by doing so. Dawn has not only proven herself as a topnotch employee in the private sector, but also in the public sector providing integrity in her news reporting style. Good Luck to you Dawn and Scott, I know how happy you both are! O.G.